Climate Change Drying up the Caspian Sea

What is the Caspian Sea?

The Caspian Sea is the largest inland body of water in the world, a salty lake that touches the borders of five countries (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia).

 Being in such a lucrative location, and as its position as one of the oldest oil-producing areas in the world ), its economic and energy production impact is not to be understated. In fact, disputes about whether it could be called a lake or a sea has led to legal discussions of whether these expansive drilling activities should be the right of these bordering countries. Warmer temperatures and increased evaporation is happening at a rate humans and animals cannot cope with. There is a severe risk of mass death as this continues to worsen. Significant oil and natural gas reserves exist from both offshore deposits in the Caspian Sea and onshore fields in the Caspian basins. Later this year, fossil fuel monster BP plans to plant six new gas wells in the Azeri region of the Caspian Sea.

    Traditionally an oil-producing area, the Caspian area has more recently grown as a natural gas producer. Due to its exploitation in energy demand, and the severe impact of global warming, an area the size of Iceland is expected to dry up in a 2 degrees Celsius warmer world, at 10m evaporation of the Caspian sea. As this beautiful body of water disappears in real time it will expose the seabed, releasing dust containing contaminants and salt which will almost certainly lead to the deaths of hundreds of humans and animals. The figure from demonstrates the grip the fossil fuel industry has in its natural gas gold mines. 

Why is this so Worrying?

The news has recently focused on one aspect of the Caspian Sea drying up; the Caspian seals who rely on the region to thrive and reproduce are expected to be extinct within the next two decades.

“Since Caspian seals are near the top of the food chain, some scientists suggest that this sea mammal is an “indicator species.” This means that if they aren’t doing well, it’s a good indicator that the rest of the food chain isn’t doing well either. If this proves to be so, the situation does not bode well for the preservation of the Caspian’s ecosystem, for the seal is the region’s most endangered species” (2025)

    

    There is a projected 16-foot decline reducing the ice in the northern sea where the seals give birth by as much as 81 percent. Reports of Caspian seals drying up dead on Russian coastlines has had a staggering response in the public. Climate activists hope to fuel that fear into action.The loss of salinity, and lowering sea levels have threatened the existence of hundreds of species including sturgeon, pike, sponges, types of algae, migratory birds, and many more essential components to its ecosystem. When one goes, it's simply a domino effect to the rest of its biodiversity being lost in a similar time frame. Loss of water could also further impact the climate, leading to reduced rainfall and drier conditions across central Asia, the change in weather patterns for the coastal areas could mean life or death, and decimate infrastructure many don’t have the money to repair.

    Additionally, the global economy relies in part on the ship transport of goods these bordering countries make to one another. Without it, they will be in a food emergency, as well as in a climate catastrophe. Many people rely on fishing to make a living, and will be out of a means to make money and feed their families. If we do not offer an alternative quickly as well as implement mitigation techniques, we are doing a disservice to the human and animal lives in more than five countries. While environmental protections are in place, since those areas will not be viable for most species in a sea level declined future, they will be forced to move to the most polluted parts of their habitats. 

Alternatives

    You might be wondering, what are the alternatives to countries like Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan whose energy output relies on a staggering 93% from fossil fuels? We need a global shift toward renewable energy, and we need the first world countries with the privileges and advantages in the market to do their part so that these countries don’t suffer the worst of what is to come. If we were able to mitigate the rise in temperatures, and contribute financially to the Caspian region financial market, they could commit to cleaning up the Sea, and beginning a transition to renewables. Russia, the eleventh largest economy in the world needs to be held accountable to the damage they continue to support. Conflict in this region makes it sincerely difficult to focus on the environmental decline, therefore it should be up to the countries not involved to invest in the right projects, decline barrels of oil from the region, and provide jobs to those that need them. Environmental regulations need to be put in place for far larger areas, and jobs need to diversify in the coastal regions where fishing is all they know. We need to stop cutting slack to the companies that caused this, demand they make reparations, and demand that the countries that refuse to reach out and contribute do so immediately, lest these countries suffer in silence before our very eyes.